New Balance x Kith West Hollywood
Rosie Lee CreativeClient:
New Balance NA
Team:
James Nelson
Gil Cocker
We partnered with New Balance on an ongoing retail collaboration with Kith West Hollywood, developing a series of activations across an eight-month programme.
Our role spans creative direction, spatial design, visualisation and production, creating eight distinct stories that allow New Balance to show up within Kith's retail environment in a way that feels considered, premium and relevant.
The first activation focused on the iconic 990 silhouette and its Made in USA heritage. Drawing on a mid-century modern aesthetic and cinematic tone, we created two entrance vitrines celebrating craftsmanship, pride and attention to detail.
Alongside this, we developed a permanent archive gallery wall celebrating New Balance's history and collaboration with Kith. Sketches, 3D models, pattern pieces and archival photography bring the brand's craft and heritage into the space.
For the second seasonal initiative, New Balance asked us to build on the existing Ellipse v1 retail toolkit, exploring a more elevated way to present the product and communicate its technology story.
We developed The Archive, a spatial concept built around the idea that Ellipse v1 represents 120 years of refinement. Rather than using conventional technology graphics, we looked to New Balance's archive and launch campaign for inspiration.
Grey shelving, tubular steel, felt, archive trolleys, plan chests, labelled boxes and handwritten notes created the feeling of stepping behind the curtain into a working archive, treating the product as an artefact rather than simply another shoe on display.
Two vitrines formed the centre of the experience, supported by mirrored walls, diffused lightboxes, etched grids and hidden red LED lighting.
The result made the technology story tangible without relying on typical tech messaging, connecting 120 years of New Balance heritage with a contemporary approach to performance and design.